Make your own DIY Sleep Mask with our free pattern. This is a perfect project to use up leftover fabric and small pieces of batting. It’s a quick and easy project, perfect for beginners. Make a few for gifts – and for yourself! They are great for travelers for sleeping on the plane, or for those long summer days when the sun rises too early.
What fabrics are best for a DIY Sleep Mask?
For the outside or main fabric, any lightweight fabric works. It’s best to select something that is not scratchy or too thick. Upholstery-weight fabrics are not suitable. Quilting cottons and cotton lawn are perfect and come in a large selection of prints.
For the lining, use a soft fabric that you would like next to your face. Flannels, fleece, and minky fabrics are perfect. Quilting cottons or lawn fabrics work well, too – they just aren’t quite as cozy and soft. Silk fabric is an option but probably not suitable for beginners as it is slippery to work with.
For the batting, use a cotton or wool batting. The batting adds an extra layer of softness and helps block the light a bit more than just the two layers of fabrics.
Here is a link to our simple diy sleep mask pattern. This pattern is actual size – no need to fiddle with the print settings to enlarge it for printing or taping paper together.
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Here are our step-by-step instructions for using our free sleep mask template:
How to Make a DIY Sleep Mask
DIY sleep masks are a simple project that uses small pieces of fabric. In less than 30 minutes you can make a custom sleep mask for yourself or as a gift!
This is a perfect project for beginner sewists as it doesn't require a lot of sewing skills.
Materials
- 9" x 11" fabric for outer sleep mask*
- 9" x 11" fabric for lining*
- 9" x 11" piece of batting*
- 16-inch piece of elastic
- Thread for sewing
- *See above for tips on types of fabrics to use for sleep masks
Tools
- Fabric scissors
- Paper scissors to cut out pattern
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Pressing surface
- Optional: Corner turner
Instructions
- Print the paper pattern and cut out the pattern piece. See the link above.
Cut out one outer fabric, one lining, and one batting. Cut elastic for the elastic band. NOTE: You might need to adjust the elastic length depending on the circumference of the head of the person you are making it for so that the elastic strap is comfortable.
- Layer your pieces with the batting on the bottom and the lining fabric right side up. Pin your elastic in place on both sides.
- Next, layer your outer fabric with right side down, towards the lining with the raw edges matching. Repin the elastic ends in place through all three layers. The wrong side of your outer fabric will be up.
- Here are all three layers pinned and ready for sewing.
- Using the guide on the pattern, begin sewing at the top of the sleep mask. Remember to leave an opening for turning the sleep mask right side out.
- Sew with a 1/2-inch seam allowance all around the outside edges, leaving the marked gap to turn. Check as you sew to make sure you catch just the ends of the elastic in the seam line on both sides of the mask.
- Turn the sleep mask right side out through the opening.
- Here is the sleep mask turned right side out.
- Use your fingers or a corner-turner to push out all of the edges. Give the sleeping mask a good press. Fold in the seam allowance on the top of the sleep mask and pin. You can either slip stitch with hand sewing the opening closed like I did, or topstitch all around the sleep mask with your sewing machine to close the gap.
- Give the sleep mask one final press and sweet dreams! Here is the finished DIY sleep mask in solar system print fabric.
Notes
*If you use fleece or minky for your lining, it is easier to use a walking foot to sew the seam since both fabrics have a tendency to stretch.
Recommended Products
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Tips for making handmade sleep masks:
- If you can, measure the circumference of the head of the person who will be using the homemade sleep mask to make sure that it fits well. You want the elastic to not slide on the back of your head, but not be too tight either.
- Use your embroidery machine to embellish the outer fabric for the sleep mask before stitching together.
- This is a great gift idea! Customize the mask with different fabrics! Purchase novelty prints for homemade gifts!
Here is a sleep mask made with a calming floral fabric with a minky fabric lining.
Have fun with the lining fabrics, one of these has super soft minky fabric and the other a fleece.
Many travelers use sleep masks to keep light distractions at bay. Chardel made her “Why-Not-Keep-Everyone-Else-Awake” Sleep Mask.
And, Comfortably.Nerdy made a Star Wars mask with scraps of glow-in-the-dark Star Wars fabric lined with navy blue flannel.
Note: Some patterns call for fusible interfacing to help block the light. Using fusible interfacing can make your sleep mask stiffer and not as comfortable. I suggest sticking with soft cotton or wool batting.
Browse through more sewing projects and diy gift ideas on Create Whimsy.
